Born to Die Together
by RocketGurl
Summary: [Auron/Lulu] Storms are simply the sky's way of releasing tension...as Lulu and Auron discover upon their travel through the Thunder Plains...


A/N: Another idea that just came to me. I can't get enough of these two...(as if you hadn't noticed ~_^). I know quite a few Auron/Lulu fics take place in the Thunder Plains, but–well... this is the only idea that came to me, okay? ^^ I hope everyone enjoys it...(the few Auron/Lulu fans out there...)

Disclaimer: I don't own FFX or any of its characters. 

"Born to Die Together"

'We just _had _to stop,' Lulu thought to herself with some annoyance. 'It's much easier to just push on through, rather than stop and lengthen the trip.' 

The Al Bhed girl, Rikku, was frightened of thunder and lightning. On this note Lulu didn't question the girl, nor did she think any less of her for it. Everyone had his or her own secrets and problems, right? But it was the young woman's vehement suggestion that they stop...now that was what angered the black mage. Every second that they wasted was another second that Sin continued to reign...

Lulu stepped outside the small lodge they had stopped at. Everyone was resting, but the woman found sleep eluding her. It seemed to do that a lot…so she was awake for most hours of the day. She was just too restless to find rest...which was really kind of ironic, huh? Every once in awhile (more often than not) a bright streak of lightning would zigzag across the otherwise black and stormy sky. The rumbling thunder that followed would fill up the whole plain; its deep notes resounded throughout her body, like a bass drum. 

Violent winds whipped up as the mage walked away from the shelter and under one of the large lightning rods. Her dress, weighed down by the many buckles, barely stirred, whereas the small braids of her hair whipped about freely, beads clicking together. She wrapped her arms around her upper torso, realizing she had left her moogle doll back at the shelter. 

The sounds of the storm prevented her from hearing another approach, and it wasn't until she got the distinct feeling of being watched that she became unnerved. Afraid it was a fiend, she turned and swung her hand back, ready to fire a thundara–heightened by the storm–on the disruption. Her hand paused in mid-swing. This was no fiend...

"Sir Auron," she greeted, dropping her arm from where it was outstretched. The man nodded in greeting, watching as Lulu visibly relaxed her tense muscles. Her breath had quickened at the thought of danger, and the necklaces resting against her collarbone rose up and down with her breaths.

"What are you doing out here?" he questioned in his low, gruff voice. The drama of the situation was heightened by his crimson cloak billowing around him with the wind. He clasped it tighter in hopes of stalling its movement. She smiled slightly, her lips barely curving upward.

"I could ask you the same thing." Was her low, flippant reply. A soft grunt was her only answer, but she was sure that if his armor's large collar wasn't hiding his mouth he would be smiling lightly.

A brief flare of lightning illuminated the area, and the two guardians were each quite surprised to find them both looking at one another. Caught staring, Lulu wrapped her arms tighter around herself, and Auron did nothing, except turn his gaze to the distance where they would be traveling.

"Will the others be ready to leave soon?" Lulu inquired, turning her claret eyes once more to her fellow guardian. Rather than answer her question, he turned to her with a cryptic gaze.

"You are not afraid of storms, too, are you?" he questioned. She chuckled lightly, knowing he was not being serious. The soft laughter from her warmed him slightly, and he found himself hiding a quick, wry smirk behind his collar. 

  


"Quite the contrary, actually," she replied after a moment's silence. "I enjoy storms. It's almost like the sky's way of letting out tension." Her slightly enigmatic statement hung in the air, almost waiting for someone to snatch it. Which is a silly thought, of course. 

"True," Auron agreed, surprising her a little. "It's better than keeping everything all bottled up inside." He turned to look at her pointedly. Lulu, of course, immediately turned defensive. 

"Don't pretend you understand me," she hissed coolly, her amethyst fingernails cutting into the palms of her hands. He turned inward so he was facing her fully. The way he was standing made her aware of his height over her. He almost seemed…unapproachable.  

"But I do," he answered truthfully, watching her frown in agitation. 

"No..." she said, shaking her head, but the whisper was lost in the crack of thunder that followed. A stray braid fell across her bare shoulder. She made her voice louder. "You can't understand!" She raised her hands and shoved against his chest, totally unprepared as he caught her wrist with his good arm and pulled her body against his. He wrapped an arm around her, holding her in place. He didn't have to, though. She wouldn't have pulled away.

"You and I are the same, Lulu," he told her softly, his breath warm against her ear. Even despite that, she shivered. Tears, unbidden, pricked at the back of her eyes. She didn't want to cry...she promised never to cry. Especially in front of Auron, the famed guardian...who was still whispering against her ear...and then against her neck. When she felt his lips against her neck the tears vanished from her eyes and she raised her head, quite shocked. Shocked...but not displeased. She could feel the cold metal of his armor, but it was contrasted by the warmth of his mouth.

She was prepared when he lowered his head and pressed his lips firmly to hers, and she didn't pull away. She had nothing to hide from him...after all, he would see right through it. Besides, his mouth was warm against hers, and his lips moved across hers softly, but desperately. It was like he was kissing her because he _needed_ to….like he would die if he didn't. She would later realize the irony of this thought…

They _were _the same.

Before he could fully pull away, Lulu spoke up. "Let's go get the others," she murmured against his lips quietly. He pulled away, nodding in agreement. Another flash of lightning illuminated the area, followed by the booming thunder. It drew attention to the two figures that walked away from the lightning rod, towards the travel agency.

Things were not different between them as they roused the others to leave, but then again...

Things were not the same, either.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

 @-^--- The End ---^-@

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          A/N: This is my second try at a Final Fantasy X story. Simultaneously my second Auron/Lulu vignette. I hope everyone who read this enjoyed it…I'm hoping that more Auron and Lulu fics come out soon…they are both awesome characters that work so well together.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 


End file.
